Spring Break: Washington DC

On Monday we visited Washington DC Mall area. We took the metro from Katie and Marc's house into the city which was very nice to not have to deal with traffic or parking. We left Levi at the house with family since there would be a lot of walking, including a capitol tour, this day. 

We went to the Lincoln Memorial first. Our good friends, the Hudsons, from Seattle (originally from Birmingham and where they are located through June) were also on Spring Break and met us there for some site seeing throughout the week.

 The weather was so nice and springy during the entire week! Sunshine and 50-60s was a nice change of pace from snow. The walk from Lincoln to the Smithsonian's took us passed the Vietnam Memorial, World War II Memorial, a view of the White House and the Washington Monument.

Vietnam Memorial 

World War II Memorial 

Washington Monument 

We then stopped at the American History Museum. I think this one is my favorite of the Smithsonian's. 

Batmobile  

They loved the Wizard of Oz special exhibit with ruby slippers, Glenda's wand, and the scarecrows hat

 Next stop for our family was the US Capitol Tour.

Neat to hear that the above picture was supposed to be George Washington's crypt/tomb but he and Martha wanted to be buried at Mt Vernon and it wasn't finished when he died. Now it is an empty tomb as no one was ever buried in the basement of the capitol. 

We ended with the Library of Congress and it was neat to to see the first pressed book, The Gutenberg Bible. 

Ended the day with gelato!